Reduced to taking small steps after a miserable start left them at 2-6 and put their season on life support, the Steelers have won on the road and in back-to-back games.
Next on the Steelers' to-do list: beating a quality opponent on the road.

They can pull that off today at M&T Bank Stadium and, in the process, take a big step toward playoff contention.

The team that will either end the Steelers' season or give it new life is a familiar one.

It is a potentially lethal one, too.

The Baltimore Ravens have won four consecutive games to push their record to 8-2 and open what looks to be an insurmountable lead in the AFC North.

Their defense is its usual ball-hawking (and ball-taking) self, and an offense that had been an anchor on Baltimore's fortunes in recent years has been steadied by veteran quarterback Steve McNair.

Thus, the challenge is immense for the Steelers, especially since they haven't won in Baltimore since 2002.

"Nothing is given to us, nothing comes easy, and everything we get as far as a win is going to be hard fought," said Steelers outside linebacker Clark Haggans, who leads the team with 5 1/2 sacks. "If we play well and play the way we're capable of doing and leave it all out on the field, then no one can hang their head low."

Whether that will be enough for the Steelers to beat the Ravens and keep their postseason hopes alive remains to be seen.

I still stand by my statements all year long that the Ratbirds are overrated. If you don't get intimidated by their defense and just play your game you can move the football on them and beat them. We all know the Steelers are NOT intimidated by the ratbirds whether it's home or away.

If we play our game and play the way we're capable of, no mistakes, we can win this game and that's a fact !

Steelersfan

11-26-2006, 12:40 AM

I'm not worried about their D against our O. I'm worried about McNair against our D right now. We haven't been playing all that well and have a tendacy to make average players look like HOF material! If our D shows up and the ST's don't kill us we should win the game.

House of Steel

11-26-2006, 12:41 AM

McNair is about to get his yearly injury against us. I see it happening in my sleep.

BlitzburghRockCity

11-26-2006, 12:51 AM

Exactly, if our DB's especially don't step it up and our DL doesnt get pressure it won't be pretty. The key is pressure and keeping contain on McNutt so he can't improvise. We need to hit him, knock him down, sack him, and beat him up and frustrate him all day.

Steelerlyn

11-26-2006, 01:07 AM

If we win the rest of our games, and the Ravens lose two more (in addition to the two they'd lose to us), we'd win the division. Even if our record was tied with Cincinnati, we'd be one to one head to head, but we'd have the better division record (again, all this is assuming we win the rest of our games). We have to hope that if we win out, Cincinnati and Kansas City can both beat Baltimore (that's the best chance we have with Baltimore's remaining opponents...and there's a chance because both games are away games for Baltimore).

A wild card is almost impossible considering J'ville, San Diego, and Denver all win the head to head against us. But there's a chance, again, IF we win out. J'ville could easily lose three more games (putting their record at 9-7). They still have to play teams like Miami, Indy, New England, and Kansas City. Our best hope for a wildcard is that Kansas City is in the position for a spot with the same record as us, because we own the head to head there. But we can't discount the Jets who are 5-5 but don't play another team with a winning record the rest of the season.

Baltimore twice, Cincy and Cleveland again, Tampa, and Carolina...all winnable games. There's still a chance, but we have to start playing like we want it, and hope Baltimore decides they don't.

SteelersfaninPhilly

11-26-2006, 03:20 AM

Expect the best. But be prepared for a roller coaster of emtion. Game is won by a field goal or less. Guess I should nail down any throwable objects.